Life-net machine.



L. S. LOVAS.

LIFE NET MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 10, 1913.

1,099,094, Patented June 2, 1914.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO-YWASHINGTON. D. c.

L. S. LOVAS. LIFE NET MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1913.

1,099,09 Patented June 2,1914,

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COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH CO.,WASHXNGTON. n. c.

FFICE.

LOUIS S. LOVAS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

LIFE-NET MACHINE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Louis S. Loves, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, county of Los Angelcs. State of California, have invented a new and useful Life-Net Machine of which the following is a specification.

My object is to make a machine for holding the life not used in catching people falling from a burning building. and to construct the machine so that it may be placed in position close to the fire where it would be too hot for men to hold the net, and my invention consists of the novel features herein shown described and claimed.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a life net machine embodying the principle of my invention, the net holding mechanism being folded for traveling, as in going to or from a fire. Fig. 2 is a side elevation looking in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. '1. Fig. 3 is a top plan view analogous to Fig. 1 and showing the life net extended for use. Fig. iis a fragmentary vertical cross section on the lines -ll of Figs. 2 and 3, the life net being shown in a central position relative to the carriage. Fig. is a fragmentary sectional detail on the same plane as Fig. 4:, and showing the mechanism for shifting the life not side-wise relative to the carriage. Fig. (3 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line 6 6 of Figs. 2 and l. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail on the line 77 of Figs. 1 and Fig. 8 is a vertical scetional detail on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an enlarged, sectional detail on a plane parallel with Fig, 4.

The lower deck 1, is mounted. upon wheels 2 to run like a wagon or automobile; the space above the deck 1 may be used for carrying the operators and such apparatus as may be desired and the driver's seat is mounted upon the forward end of this deck. Posts 4 extend upwardly from the lower deck 1 and the upper rigid deck 5 is fixed upon these posts.

Track bars 6 and 7 are fixed upon the upper face oft-he deck 5, there being preferably 4: sets of these track bars and said track bars being arranged. in parallel position cross-wise of the deck and extending upwardly. The sliding deck 8 is mounted upon the l sets of track bars 6 and 7 and the slides 9 are fixed to the bottom of deck 8, and extend downwardly into the slide-way Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 10, 1913.

Patented Juno 2, 13 14.

Serial No. 772,921.

between the track bars 6 and Y. Tongues 10 extend from the track bars 7 into grooves in the slides 9 to hold the slides in line. Retaining lugs 11 are lined to the outer faces of the track bars 7 at one side of the machine. and similar lugs are fixed to the track bars 6 at the other side of the machine.

Hooks 12 extend downwardly from the deck 8 at the opposite side of the deck from the retaining lugs 11. and in line therewith so that when the deck 8 is moved laterally, as in Fig. the hooks 1.0 engage the lugs 1.1 and limit the outer movement of the deck. Similar hooks extend. down *ardly from the deck 8 in position to similarly engage the retaining lugs when the deck moved in the opposite direction.

Folding legs 13 are connected to the sides of the sliding deck 8 so that when the deck is moved laterally the legs may be brought into position to prevent tipping, and so that when the deck is to be moved into its normal central position the legs may be folded up out of use.

Doors let are connected by hinges i l to the upper rigid deck 5, and swing upwardly against the ends of the track bars 6 and 7 to close the space between the decks 5 and 8. Rigid posts 15 and 16 extend upwardly from the ends of the sliding deck S. and similar posts l7, 18, 19 and 20 are slidingly connected to the deck 8. said posts l5, 16. 17,

18, 1.9 and 20 being of considerable hc oht and arranged so as to form a circle wlicn the sliding posts are extended, as in Fig. 3, and to form substantially a rectangle when the sliding posts are withdrawn, as inv Fig. 1.

The life net 21 attached to the upper ends of said posts, the details of the means for attaching the net to the posts being shown in Figs. 7 and S. The cross arms 92 are cured to the inner sides of the posts near their upper ends by bolts 23. Bearings 24: extend inwardly from the extreme upper ends of the posts in vertical alinement of the cross arms 22. Shafts 25 are inserted downwardly through the bearings 24 and through the cross arms 22. The sliding cross arms 26 are mounted upon the shafts 25 against the bearings 24, and a series of rule ber buficrs 27 are mounted between the sliding cross arms 26, and the rigid cross arms 29. The central buffers being mounted upon the shafts 25 and pins 28 are inserted through the cross arms and butters on each side of the center. The life net 21 is secured to the sliding cross arms 26. The object is to provide a strong elastic support for the life net.

The details of the mounting of the sliding posts 17, 18, 19 and 20 are as follows The slide-ways 29 and 30 are built upon the upper face of the sliding deck 8, and similar slideways 31 and 32 are built upon the deck 8, said slideways 29 and 80 crossing the deck at an angle of degrees and said slideways 31 and 32 crossing the deck at the opposite angle of 60 degrees cross-wise of the slide-ways 29 and 30 and in a higher plane. The post 17 is mounted upon a sliding base 33 in the slide-way 32, and the posts 18, 19 and 20 are similarly mounted upon sliding bases in the slide-ways 29, 30 and 31. Each of the posts 17, 18, 19 and 20 are provided with latches 3%, said latches being in the nature of rock shafts mounted in grooves in the sliding bases 33, and each havin an operating handle on its outer end and having an arm on its inner end to engage in notches or stops 84* in the slide-ways so as to hold the sliding bases in their withdrawn positions, or in their extended positions as desired.

Passages and 36 are formed through the life net 21. Sue on each transverse side of the center, and canvas trap doors 37 and 38 are connected to the life net at the inner sides of the passages and extend outwardly below the life net. Cords 39 are attached to the outer ends of the trap doors and extend upwardly through eyes 40, and then downwardly so that by pulling the cords the trap doors may be closed, and so that by loosening the cords either trap door may be opened.

hen the machine is in operation a man is placed in position to manipulate the cords 89, preterablytwo men for the trap door to be used, and the men will close this trap door and as soon as. a person falls upon the net they will release the trap door and the person may pass through the opening in the net and down the trap door to the ground. Electric lights d1 may be placed upon the posts 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 and in any desired positions as required to give sufficient light in the night time.

it is obvious that the details of construction may be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims. The

leading, or essential features, are a carriage mechanism mounted upon the carriage and adapted for lateral adjustment for yieldingly supporting a life net; a life net having outlet passages and trap doors for the outlet passages; the mechanism for supporting the life net may be collapsible or not, and the means for giving elasticity to the life net may be of any suitable construction.

I claim 1. In a life net machine, a lower deck mounted to run upon wheels, posts extending upwardly from the lower deck, an upper deck rigidly mounted upon the posts; track bars fixed upon the upper face of the upper deck and extending crosswise, a sliding deck mounted upon the track bars, rigid posts extending upwardly from the ends of the sliding deck, sliding posts extending up wardly from the sides of the sliding deck, and a life net attached to the upper ends of the rigid posts and to the upper ends of the sliding posts; so that the life net may be expanded or contracted by manipulating the sliding posts.

2. In a life net machine, a series of posts, cross-arms rigidly secured to the posts near their upper ends, bearings extending inwardly from the extreme upper ends of the posts in vertical aline'ment with the crossarms, shafts inserted downwardly through the bearings and through the cross-arms, sliding cross-arms mounted upon the shafts under the bearings, a series of rubber buffers mounted between the sliding cross-arms and the rigid cross-arms, and a not secured to tl e sliding cross-arms.

3. In a life not machine, a series of posts, a not secured to the upper ends of the posts and having an opening near the center, a canvas trap-door secured to the inner edge oi? the opening and the lower side of the net and extending outwardly below the net, eyes mounted upon adjacent posts, and cords attached to the outer end of the trap-door and extending upwardly through the eyes and downwardly, so that by pulling the cords the trap-door may be closed and by loosening the cords the trap-door may be opened, said trap-door serving as a chute leading out from under the net.

LOUIS S. LOVAS.

ll itnesses CLARENCE J. VILLIAMS, Smrnn G. WELLS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

